Catholic Tidbit: The Real POWER of Holy Water!

When I was pregnant with Little Bean I was so fearful of losing him after our previous loss the year before.  I remember praying desperately to our Blessed Mother to keep Bean safe and sound in my belly. Then one day I was having cramping in my stomach.  Oh no! Not again! I thought. But what could I do?  I ran to my bedroom and grabbed my holy water. I blessed my stomach and laid down on the bed praying all the while.  After a half hour or so, the cramping stopped and I felt in that moment the real power of holy water! 

How had I forgotten the power of holy water? Is it because we have so much access to it?  Is it simply because I have forgotten what it means when I use holy water?

We have holy water poured over our heads during baptism.  We bless ourselves every time we go in and out of church.  Last week during the Easter mass the priest spent several minutes walking around the church, sprinkling holy water on all present.  We waited diligently for our turn to be blessed.  But why?  Well it's no coincidence this happens during the mass right after we renew our baptismal vows.

Holy water is a way of our conversion (a.k.a. what other religions call "being born again").  It's the way we "wash" ourselves clean from original sin AND it's one way we continue to wash ourselves clean of our venial sins throughout our lifetime.  

Wait. What?

Oh yes!  Boy have I forgotten this little Catholic tidbit.  Every time we bless ourselves we are renewing our baptismal vows, we are undergoing a conversion and we are washing ourselves of our venial sins.  AMAZING! ASTOUNDING! ASTONISHING! 

So let this be ever present on our minds the next time we dip our fingers into the holy water basin and being "In the name of the Father...".

Blessings to You and Yours,